Study: HarborCorp project would bring thousands more cars

Development examined for its effect on downtown Portsmouth traffic

PORTSMOUTH — Construction of the proposed HarborCorp mixed-use development at the intersection of Deer and Russell streets would add a projected 5,452 new vehicle trips in the area on a typical weekday, according to a traffic impact and access study.

Comment

By Jeff McMenemy

seacoastonline.com

By Jeff McMenemy

Posted Apr. 1, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Jeff McMenemy

Posted Apr. 1, 2014 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

PORTSMOUTH — Construction of the proposed HarborCorp mixed-use development at the intersection of Deer and Russell streets would add a projected 5,452 new vehicle trips in the area on a typical weekday, according to a traffic impact and access study.

The study, prepared by Vanasse & Associates for the HarborCorp developers, also states that "on a typical Saturday, the proposed project is estimated to generate approximately 8,844 new vehicle trips (4,422 entering and 4,422 exiting), with 538 new vehicle trips ... during the Saturday midday peak hour."

A site plan filed with the city recently states the project will include a 206,381-square-foot parking garage, a 40,660-square-foot Whole Foods grocery store and a 35,000-square-foot conference center with a 98-room hotel and 14 residential condominiums.

Despite the projected increase in traffic, Vanasse & Associates contends the project "will not result in a significant change in overall traffic operations over no-build conditions."

"The project-related traffic volume increases are expected to change some level-of-service at area locations, and improvements are proposed to mitigate the impact of the project and minimize the impact to the transportation infrastructure," the study also states.

Peter Rice, director of Public Works for Portsmouth, said Monday the city intends to hire a firm to do a "peer review" of the traffic study at the developer's expense, as it would for any project of this size.

"Obviously, those are significant numbers," Rice said. "We're going into this with our eyes wide open, and we will be reviewing this report and hiring a consultant to do our own report."

Rice, who is also a member of the city's Technical Advisory Committee, which is reviewing the proposed development, said city officials will also be reviewing the number of parking spaces proposed by developers.

City Planning Director Rick Taintor said at a meeting last week the city wants to see a document proving there is enough parking at the development "when you have Whole Foods open, people in the hotel and there's a conference going on."

Paul Young, spokesman for the developers, said recently the total number of parking spaces for the project is currently 587, which includes 170 subsurface parking spaces for Whole Foods customers as well as the 417 spaces above ground.

Developers intend to let the public use "the balance of all those spaces" when they are not in use by Whole Foods or the conference center.

Proposed improvements include modifying the alignment of Russell and Deer streets to reduce the pedestrian crossing to provide a "better defined intersection" and restriping the Deer Street northbound approach to produce "an exclusive left-turn lane to facilitate the traffic turning left."

Mitigation efforts also include the creation of "a designated drop-off area for the hotel" on the west side of Russell Street.

There will also be two entrance-only driveways to the parking garage, for both the garage driveway and the garage service driveway, according to the study.

Because they intersect Maplewood Avenue in close proximity to each other, "both driveways will be entrance-only to minimize the impact to Maplewood Avenue."

The study also states there has been careful planning "to improve and enhance the pedestrian experience in the area," which includes a planned "pedestrian bridge over Russell Street connecting the existing Sheraton Hotel and the proposed project."